2.16.2012

foundations: shoe care and maintenance

the holy trinity of footwear: 

let me begin by saying that if you want to quickly break in a brand new pair of Chucks, just wear them for a week in China. your Chucks will thank you for giving them that authentically worn-in look in record time!

as for the rest of my shoes, over the years i figured out a relatively inexpensive and effective method for shoe care and maintenance. this is what you'll need:

1. a reliable and skilled cobbler/shoe-repair shop 
6. cedar shoe trees* (optional, only if you have oxford/lace-up shoes that have a structured shape and a stiffer leather that should be maintained)

#2 and #3 - pre-treating leather and suede shoes:

i swear by Collonil's water protectant spray and conditioning cream for both leather and suede because the stuff really works. generally speaking, i use the spray for mostly shoes, and both Collonil products on some of my handbags (ie: my Mulberry satchel). the conditioning cream - Collonil calls it a 'gel', but the consistency is more like a creamy lotion - moisturizes the leather while also adding a nice layer of water protection. even though the cream is white, it blends and absorbs completely into any color leather and leaves no residue, rendering it rich and supple.
  • case in point: last year, i sprayed my new suede Isabel Marant boots with two coats of Collonil. suede is more delicate than leather, and must be treated with a water protectant spray (ideally first before wearing, and then periodically afterwards). the spray goes on and while damp it will darken a bit, but don't worry, after about 20-30 minutes it dries to an invisible finish, won't change the color of your shoes, and lasts. i haven't re-sprayed my dickers since and have been wearing them all around SH and they are still going strong. 
  • another true story: last year, i bought a grey lambskin Jerome Dreyfuss billy bag and since it was a light color, i sprayed it with two coats of Collonil when it was brand new. after a few months, the bag proved to be a bit big for my needs, so i sold it to a friend. she accidentally spilled an entire mug of hot black tea all over the bag within the first week of using it, and after freaking out and letting it air dry, found that there were no stains or damage to the leather. we were both amazed and exceedingly impressed.
when to go to the cobbler:

if you want to make your money go far with the shoes you own, cultivating a good relationship with your go-to cobbler is absolutely essential. this is on par with the relationship you have with your dry cleaner, your hairstylist...you get the idea.

if the outsoles are leather... 
(look for the 'leather sole', or 'vero cuoio' stamp on the bottom)
bring those to the cobbler for a Vibram* half-sole, ideally when they're still new or new-ish.

better and high quality shoes are often made with leather outsoles, and usually they are very smooth and prone to slipping on slick surfaces. if the original outsoles are thin (ie: my Marant dicker boots), which is common on virtually all stylish/dressy shoes, a grippy Vibram half-sole is key. a skilled cobbler will custom fit and mold a half-sole onto the leather outsole, and in some cases do custom detailing to make the half sole design mesh with the original design of the shoe. you can get custom red Vibram half-soles for your Louboutins, for example. 

there is nothing worse than slipping or falling from an improperly-treated pair of new shoes! doing this will also extend the life of your shoes significantly. when the Vibram wears thin or starts to peel or come apart from heavy wear (usually only after a year or more), you can just bring the shoes to your cobbler to be re-soled, and won't have to worry about wearing holes through a pair of seasonless favorite shoes.

if the outsoles are rubber...
no need to bring those to the cobbler.

sometimes shoes at the lower/mid and high/very high-end ranges come with rubber outsoles. usually this is functionally part of the design. think Converse ChucksSorel snow boots, or the classic Frye biker boots that come with a very rugged, oil-resistant rubber lug sole. crepe rubber (it's got a nubby, slightly squishy texture) is another common one that's very low-maintenance - my Margiela shearling boots have that material as the outsole. also, my Golden Goose biker boots have a high quality molded rubber heel and outsole. these soles will last for ages! some of the shoes with rubber outsoles will wear out (ie: Converse) and there's not much you can do. others can be resoled. the one slight downside is that it is a bit more of a complicated job at the shoe repair shop. but a skilled cobbler can definitely do the job with finesse.

heel caps
for shoes that have a heel (especially thin/stiletto ones), 99% of the time, they come with a pretty useless plastic heel cap. even if you don't find it necessary to get a Vibram half sole put on, get the heel cap replaced by your cobbler with a rubber one. all my low/mid/high-heel pumps and dressy shoes have rubber heel caps for stability and traction. the plastic ones are not only slippery as hell (think of how the heel of your shoe always strikes the ground first...), but they also wear out really fast, and when they do, the metal tip of the heel becomes exposed. this sounds bad...and is bad for your foot. 

i don't do this for all my shoes, as it can get expensive and is sometimes unnecessary. but all my 'serious' shoes get this treatment. i generally don't purchase shoes unless they are well made and functional enough to last beyond one season - and therefore, worth putting in the bit of extra money for care and maintenance. for instance, i will always get Vibram half soles + rubber heel caps for boots (which will see a lot of heavy wear across seasons).
*a note on Vibram - when you take your shoes to the cobbler, make sure you ask for Vibram brand rubber half-soles. some shoe repair shops will use other brands that are inferior in quality and material. don't settle for those. Vibram is the best, hands down.
the express buffing/polish sponge:

this is perfect for doing a quick polish when you're running out the door, or a quick clean after you get home. i use the neutral/clear polish sponge to recondition and clean off any salt/water stains from my boots in the winter as well. 

the suede brush/'eraser block':

i haven't had to use this honestly since i Colloniled my dicker boots, but this is a super easy and inexpensive kit to keep around when you need to get out a scuff mark or just to maintain the nap/texture of the suede. 

do you have a method for taking care of/maintaining your shoes? 

22 comments:

  1. I will just say "amen". I have pretty much the same routine as you, and I will spray and polish almost anything I buy that is made from leather. Generally I only wear my shoes out on the inside from stomping around in them. The outside and underside is nearly always in tip top shape :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. right? it feels good to take care of the things you buy :)

      Delete
    2. Hi Sophie,

      I have a request. Could you post a picture of your treated dickers and shoes with the rubber half sole? I have read so many dissenting reviews against the the half sole --aesthetically distracting, moisture inhibitory, and I just would like to see how a pair of properly applied ones look like so I know exactly what to ask for. I don't want to risk my precious favorite pieces!

      That would be much appreciated!

      Delete
  2. Thanks for demystifying this! I'll be sure to try your brand of leather cream. I've been using that hardcore Kiwi Camp Dry stuff, which has been fine, but I've never had any major spills. I have to second your Vibram sole suggestion. I only put them on when I scuff the new soles down a bit, but I've heard that this step is unnecessary.

    I'm thinking about getting a Mulberry Bayswater too. What do you think? Is it worth the new price? (I don't remember it being 1100...) And how does its construction compare to other things? I don't have any "it" bags of the four figure variety. Basic brands like MBMJ and Longchamp are more suited to my life. But the Bayswater seems to have remained a classic. I just wonder whether it'll lat me ten or twenty years!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. no problem, glad it's helpful. yeah i just bring my brand new shoes to get the Vibram half sole. :)

      i think i'll do a post on the mulberry bayswater bag as other people have asked me the same questions. stay tuned!

      Delete
  3. Thank you so much for this post! I've just bought a leather bag that I needed to condition and protect, but I didn't know where to start! This information is really useful and I will look for Colonill products. :) Would you recommend using BOTH the gel and the spray?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you're welcome! and yes i recommend both, especially for a handbag.

      i've found that it's easiest to purchase online, so i've linked to the Collonil products above in my post :)

      the gel is really good for conditioning the leather when you first get it - you'd be surprised how new handbags can be a bit dry!

      Delete
  4. Thanks for the heads up on Collonil - I usually use Apple Leather Spray but it's hard to come by in regular stores and I have to get it from Ebay. Since Collonil is available on Amazon, I may just have to give that a try.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh great! let me know how you like it. the prices for Collonil and the other products on amazon can't be beat!

      Delete
  5. I've just ordered both products. Thank you so much for the tips! Can I ask which colour Dickers you have? Are they the taupe or the moss green?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you're welcome! i'm glad you found this helpful. i have the taupe dickers from last year.

      Delete
  6. this was super informative! too late for my prada boots though- didnt realize there was such thing as a vibram sole. hopefully they can still resole? ive never been to a cobbler and am not sure who to trust my shoes too lol.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. read Yelp reviews and bring in a 'test' shoe (ie: one that's less pricey) to a place to see how well the work is done. you can always re-sole shoes with leather outsoles. most people end up waiting till the leather sole is worn out, but if you do this before that it really extends the life of the shoes.

      Prada also makes their shoes with rubber soles, though. which ones are your boots?

      Delete
  7. Well, I am now feeling appalled about my negligence. Thank you for shaming me into action!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lol take care of your shoes and they'll take care of you! :)

      Delete
  8. thank you so much for this information! i'm going to order those collonil products ASAP. unfortunately i don't have a dependable cobbler nearby, so i have to be extra careful with my shoes. he disappeared off the face of earth for 4 months (!!) and there was no way I could get to the two pairs of comey boots and the frye oxfords i had left for resoling. it was an ordeal, let me tell you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh no!! that sounds so shady! did you ever get your shoes back?

      Delete
  9. Thank you, this comes at exactly the right time for me. I just purchased the Dicker boots (in anthracite) and obviously I want them to last as long as possible. Normally they would be way out of my budget (I'm a student), but after a major cull I managed to sell 50+ items on ebay and made a bit more than the Dicker boots cost...
    I live in Germany, and I don't think we have the Vibram half-sole thing here...I will bring them to my local cobbler and hope he knows what he's doing!
    x
    Hannah

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yay you got the dickers! you'll get so much wear out of them. i think Vibram soles are carried globally, it's worth checking with a reputable cobbler if they might carry the products. good luck!

      Delete
  10. Hi

    Are the heels of your dickers perfectly intact? I have the same ones, but they keep splitting at the edges of the veneer, so far I have been able to pull the wood back together and glue it. Do you know if you can get the veneer replaced?

    Thanks
    Jo, I'm in the UK,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi Jo - sorry for the late reply. the heels of my dickers are fine and have had no problems. the vibram rubber heel cap that my cobbler put on is still going strong after heavy wear for over a year and a half now. have you taken yours to a shoe repair store?

      Delete
  11. thank you SO much for this post. i love leather goods, and have a few things myself (boots/flats/handbags) but I was never sure exactly how to care for them besides just a swipe of conditioner like once a year....i've been feeling lately like it's not enough and i really want them to last a long time! it's also really annoying to be so stressed out about my things when the tiniest drop of water gets on them...so this is a super helpful post, and i just bought the Collonil products you recommended on Amazon! thanks again!

    ReplyDelete

feel free to join in on the conversation! :-) FYI, comment moderation is ON, so it may take a little while before yours appears. house rules: comments that are spam, rude, or otherwise unrelated to the post will be deleted.